practice – Human Values Institute

Live more simply

Now that we have rested our body, rested our mind, and are resting in awareness, what is left to do? Not much left to do except practice, practice, and practice. Generally, we overdo. We do […]

Whenever some problem arises (and when do they not!), remember to practice ‘tonlen’ – taking and giving. Think about other people and animals experiencing some similar problems. Silently take away their suffering, and give them […]

Samsaric life

When you’re hot, you are hot. When you’re not, you’re not. And that’s o.k. In fact, that is samsaric life. Recognizing the state of our mind on a regular basis is the foundation for dharma […]

Riding the waves of life gracefully

Riding the waves of life gracefully is an art that can be learned. It makes life more meaningful and enjoyable. Riding the ups and downs gracefully allows us to concentrate on our practice more of […]

Please re-read my posts

I am traveling in remote northern India in Ladakh and Zanskar and will have no internet until mid-August. Please re-read my posts, be happy, and train your mind and heart to be good. Cultivate healthy […]

It is easy to lose hope

It is easy to lose hope these days. The worse sides of us seem rampant. Selfishness and greed seem to have eclipsed love and compassion. Yet where there is strife and hardship, someone always comes […]

Cultivate a refuge deep within our heart.

Sometimes we’re happy, sometimes we’re sad. It is all the same, just experience. The more we remember this, the less attached we become to pleasure and pain. With practice we cultivate a refuge deep within […]

Completed a 2-day meditation retreat in Tokyo

Three days ago, we completed a 2-day meditation retreat in Tokyo, meditating on compassion, wisdom, non-distraction, awareness, and walking. The subtle lasting bliss that slowly develops with regular practice is nourishing, feeling that everything is […]

Happy holiday

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all kind mother sentient beings. Every living being has the complete potential to be fully happy and fully free from pain. It is our job to […]

Profound, free of conceptual elaboration, uncompounded, luminous, and peaceful

Study, meditation, and practice are important, but we must put this in action. Engaged Buddhism is the most important. The Buddha after 35 years of “showing” (according to Mahayana tradition Shakyamuni Buddha was already enlightened […]